FPUD ratifies four-party MOU to optimize outfall pipelines

Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) has agreed to a four-agency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to optimize water resources and infrastructure between FPUD, Camp Pendleton, the City of Oceanside, and the Rancho California Water District (RCWD) in Riverside County.

A 5-0 FPUD board vote Aug. 24 ratified the agreement which focuses on the city of Oceanside's Ocean Outfall Pipeline and agency land outfall pipelines. The MOU is a general expression of interest only and does not bind any of the parties to enter into any other agreement.

"We believe that this is an important first step in looking at regional solutions for new local water supply," said FPUD general manager Brian Brady.

The four agencies seek to implement a regional facility approach to water management and brine waste discharge to utilize groundwater, surface water, and recycled water supplies and increase supply reliability in a cost-effective manner. The concept is that the four agencies can reduce capital and operating costs for existing and proposed projects by cooperating in the use of existing infrastructure which has additional capacity.

The possibilities include using available capacity in the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline to transport brine from the Rancho California district as well as brine from the future Santa Margarita River Conjunctive Use Project which would enhance groundwater recharge and recovery capacity in the lower Santa Margarita River basin and increase available water supplies for Camp Pendleton and FPUD.

"Many of the potential new sources include removal of salts in the water, and that brine has to be disposed of," Brady said. "Fallbrook's ocean outfall line can potentially be a regional solution to brine disposal."

FPUD has an existing land outfall pipeline from FPUD to Oceanside and a capacity allocation of 2.4 million gallons per day (mgd) in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline. FPUD currently discharges excess recycled water to the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline and the Ocean Outfall Pipeline, and the Fallbrook district seeks to reduce the recycled water disposal through the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline and convert that pipeline to a brine disposal pipeline which would be necessary for the FPUD portion of the Conjunctive Use Project.

Camp Pendleton has an existing land outfall pipeline from the Marine Corps base to Oceanside and a temporary agreement which allocates Camp Pendleton 3.6 mgd of capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline. The base discharges both excess recycled water and brine waste to the Pendleton Land Outfall Pipeline and the Ocean Outfall Pipeline. Camp Pendleton desires to finalize an agreement with Oceanside for permanent capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline and to implement its portion of the Conjunctive Use Project.

The Ocean Outfall Pipeline has a permitted discharge capacity of 41.5 mgd. Oceanside discharges both recycled water and brine to the Ocean Outfall Pipeline and the city's Oceanside Land Outfall Pipeline. Oceanside desires to implement various projects to utilize its water, recycled water, and wastewater facilities more efficiently and to provide capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline to other agencies.

The RCWD seeks to implement an indirect potable reuse project to maximize the use of recycled water, reduce the amount of recycled water disposed outside of the Santa Margarita River Watershed, increase water supply reliability, and improve the water quality within the Santa Margarita River Watershed by removing salts.

The RCWD project requires the disposal of brine derived from the demineralization of recycled water, preferably to the Pacific Ocean by utilizing available capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline and the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline.

The goals FPUD desires to accomplish are to expand the use of recycled water within FPUD and implement its portion of the Conjunctive Use Project which will entail the disposal of brine waste to the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline, utilize the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline for brine waste discharge which would require FPUD to terminate or transfer its existing California Department of Transportation recycled water agreement, continue the existing agreement between FPUD and Oceanside for an allocated 2.4 mgd capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline for FPUD's discharge of excess recycled water and brine from the Conjunctive Use Project and from the RCWD, finalize the agreements with Camp Pendleton which are necessary for the Conjunctive Use Project, and finalize an agreement with the RCWD to utilize the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline for brine waste disposal.

Camp Pendleton has the first right of refusal for FPUD's existing excess capacity in the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline and the Ocean Outfall Pipeline. The RCWD has the second right of refusal for that capacity.

The stated Camp Pendleton goals are to finalize a permanent agreement with Oceanside for capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline for waste disposal through the Pendleton Land Outfall Pipeline which will include a capital cost contribution and annual operations and maintenance contributions to utilize the Ocean Outfall Pipeline, implement the Conjunctive Use Project and increase the base's groundwater recharge capabilities, and potentially develop a seawater injection barrier project.

The goals of the Oceanside water department are to implement Regional Water Quality Control Board requirements for the 41.5 mgd permitted capacity of the Ocean Outfall Pipeline, abandon the La Salina Water Reclamation Facility and consolidate wastewater treatment at the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility or elsewhere, acquire the lower section of the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline from FPUD to convey wastewater from the La Salina Water Reclamation Facility to the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility, construct a new sewer force main facility for the conveyance from the La Salina Water Reclamation Facility to the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility, assume FPUD's rights to the existing Caltrans recycled water agreement and provide the recycled water quantity and facilities to continue serving Caltrans with recycled water, potentially develop water irrigation projects, potentially expand the Mission Basin groundwater recharge facilities through indirect potable reuse, and provide capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline and the Oceanside Land Outfall Pipeline to other participating entities.

The goals desired by the RCWD are to discharge brine waste from the demineralization of recycled water through the Ocean Outfall Pipeline and utilize the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline and the Oceanside Land Outfall Pipeline under both the scenario of operating within the capacity of the existing FPUD/Oceanside agreement and the scenario of exceeding the capacity of that agreement, construct its own brine waste disposal facilities (including a pipeline, a pump station, and holding ponds) to convey brine waste from RCWD's Santa Rosa Water Reclamation Facility to the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline, finalize the agreement with FPUD to utilize the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline for brine waste disposal including a capital cost contribution and annual operations and maintenance contributions to utilize the Fallbrook Land Outfall Pipeline and FPUD's existing outfall capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline, and finalize an agreement with the City of Oceanside to utilize the Ocean Outfall Pipeline and the Oceanside Land Outfall Pipeline for brine waste disposal for flows exceeding FPUD's existing outfall capacity in the Ocean Outfall Pipeline which would include the capital cost contribution and annual operations and maintenance contributions for RCWD to utilize the Ocean Outfall Pipeline and the Oceanside Land Outfall Pipeline.